Hi everyone!!!
The first week in the field has been AWESOME! I am In Alexandria Louisiana which is considered a 'major city' around these parts. It kinda makes me laugh although some parts do actually feel like a city. Everybody says this is a good area and that I should keep my expectations high. I tell them I had planned to keep my expectations high regardless of what area I was put into.
My Trainer is Elder Castro from Pocatello Idaho. he is a great guy and a perfect trainer! he is going home this april So I will probably be his last companion. Our apartment is pretty decent. My companion Is the District leader and the guys we live with are the Zone leaders. So I am under the impression that at some point here I will probably be getting another leadership position so I have been trying to pay attention and take notes with what everyone does since most of the time I am just hanging around the apartment at 9 pm while they are all making phone calls to the district and zone to schedule things. I ask questions and try to keep up with what is going on without being annoying. it sometimes just feels like I am being babysat and I hate that feeling so I've been working hard to learn fast and keep up with the responsibilities that I have. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. Ever.
The first week in the field has been AWESOME! I am In Alexandria Louisiana which is considered a 'major city' around these parts. It kinda makes me laugh although some parts do actually feel like a city. Everybody says this is a good area and that I should keep my expectations high. I tell them I had planned to keep my expectations high regardless of what area I was put into.
My Trainer is Elder Castro from Pocatello Idaho. he is a great guy and a perfect trainer! he is going home this april So I will probably be his last companion. Our apartment is pretty decent. My companion Is the District leader and the guys we live with are the Zone leaders. So I am under the impression that at some point here I will probably be getting another leadership position so I have been trying to pay attention and take notes with what everyone does since most of the time I am just hanging around the apartment at 9 pm while they are all making phone calls to the district and zone to schedule things. I ask questions and try to keep up with what is going on without being annoying. it sometimes just feels like I am being babysat and I hate that feeling so I've been working hard to learn fast and keep up with the responsibilities that I have. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. Ever.
My mission president and his wife and my trainer and people in the ward keep commenting to me that I am a very driven missionary. I believe that is very true although I dont really know where to throw all the drive that i have and I worry that sometimes I am too uptight in one area or a little over eager and I am working on that. I have learned a lot this week on what being a succesful missionary means and how I can know if I did a good job at the end of the day. and have started to redefine how i measure my success.
it's been a pretty crazy week since transfers were going on this week and then Stake conference was this last weekend. On top of all of that We have been trying to meet with Investigators and plan a baptism that is happening this sunday!! my first baptism as a missionary! yay! it feels pretty cool. But doesnt really hold as much weight with me as it does with my trainer since I havent even met these people yet or know anything about there conversion process and story. Although from what I have heard I already love them so much! There are 3 boys that we are baptizing this weekend who live with their member grandparents. Rohan, Zacharias, and J.J. They sound like very cool boys. all younger than 13 I believe.
it's been a pretty crazy week since transfers were going on this week and then Stake conference was this last weekend. On top of all of that We have been trying to meet with Investigators and plan a baptism that is happening this sunday!! my first baptism as a missionary! yay! it feels pretty cool. But doesnt really hold as much weight with me as it does with my trainer since I havent even met these people yet or know anything about there conversion process and story. Although from what I have heard I already love them so much! There are 3 boys that we are baptizing this weekend who live with their member grandparents. Rohan, Zacharias, and J.J. They sound like very cool boys. all younger than 13 I believe.
We have contacted a lot of Rocking people this week. but one of the coolest men that we met was named BOBBY TAYLOR (such a louisiana name lol) He is a homeless man who called us off our bikes to pray with him to help him quit drinking. We found out that during the day he spends his time sweeping and watching TV in a laundromat nearby so we set up a time to come teach him and I am really looking forward to it. He really wants our help.
We also visited a local baptist church and participated in a very loud and scary prayer that they did. We decided to leave before they made us do anything else. But I talked to the minister before we left and asked if he would be willing to let us lead a discussion with his church one night that they usually do prayers. We explained who we were and what we did and he seemed very impressed and gave us his card. (we left him a mormon.org card too lol) So who knows maybe we'll teach at a baptist church!! lol
Brother Green Is an awesome guy in our ward who makes the best food. He Texted you in front of me while we were moving the members in our ward. I read your reply the following day. He's a really cool guy and he has cooked the best food I think I have ever eaten in my whole entire life. he has a very thick accent and all the missionaries love him and his family. I'm glad you guys were on your way to a baptism!! New members of the ward really need the support especially at their baptism. It's something i wish I had been better at. It really does mean a lot to them though.
I'm including pictures of our visit to a hospital this week and my companion Elder Castro and a few of our apartment.
Thanks for all the letters. I love you all!
-Elder Davis
We also visited a local baptist church and participated in a very loud and scary prayer that they did. We decided to leave before they made us do anything else. But I talked to the minister before we left and asked if he would be willing to let us lead a discussion with his church one night that they usually do prayers. We explained who we were and what we did and he seemed very impressed and gave us his card. (we left him a mormon.org card too lol) So who knows maybe we'll teach at a baptist church!! lol
Brother Green Is an awesome guy in our ward who makes the best food. He Texted you in front of me while we were moving the members in our ward. I read your reply the following day. He's a really cool guy and he has cooked the best food I think I have ever eaten in my whole entire life. he has a very thick accent and all the missionaries love him and his family. I'm glad you guys were on your way to a baptism!! New members of the ward really need the support especially at their baptism. It's something i wish I had been better at. It really does mean a lot to them though.
I'm including pictures of our visit to a hospital this week and my companion Elder Castro and a few of our apartment.
Thanks for all the letters. I love you all!
-Elder Davis